001Yeah. Thanks. Everything ready for [Music] >> good evening everybody. Um like to start us off this evening. Uh we do have a quorum present. meeting meeting has been duly called and appropriate notice of the meeting has been given. I'd like to start by saying the pledge of allegiance and I'd like to invite uh one of our national merit semi-finalists, Mr. Jack Coleman, to lead us in the pledge of allegiance, please. >> I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Okay, thank you. [Music] Okay, good evening. So, now we open up the meeting for public comments. This is a designated time for community members to address the board on matters before us. Each
002speaker will be given three minutes to speak. We welcome your input and encourage you to speak respectively and professionally. We encourage you to avoid statements about specific students or district staff members in order to protect their rights. All public comments will be included in the recording of the meeting. We also encourage you uh to ensure that you have followed our district chain of command policy, policy 6.7, before signing up for public comments. Thank you for speaking and we look forward to your comments. So, first on uh on the signup sheet for tonight is uh Mr. Ernie Schroeder. [Music] Good evening, Mr. Schroeder. >> I speak this way. >> Yes, sir. Right in that microphone, please, sir. >> Okay. The Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the 1014 program are student programs in the Mountain Home Schools.
003uh we have joined with them. We being part of the uh unless we pray organization to sponsor a prayer uh event before the football game next uh next Friday. It'll be at 5:30 at by the bomber. And u I invite I'll pass out some cards here in a minute. invite you if you can attend to stop in before going to the game just to to do this. There are five students that are going to be making short prayers probably about 3 minutes each and uh these and then one teacher that's going to be praying. So it'll be in a 20 to 30 minute activity. Uh we invited uh Will Ross to attend tonight. Will is one of the students that's going to be praying for the school board. And we thought it was fitting for
004him to come and meet some of you folks and to uh know what it is you do. And so he's been asking questions to to to learn something about the school board and what what they do and how they function. Uh so uh we just want to encourage you if you could have a chance to come and come and participate in that prayer event. Thank you very much. >> Thank you, Mr. Shredder. >> Does anyone wish a card? >> Next on our signup sheet is Miss Nicole Hobbs. Good evening, Miss Hobs. >> Pass these out to you guys real fast. Thank you. >> You're very welcome. I promise I will tell you what you guys are looking at. >> Thank you. >> You're very welcome. [Music] >> Thank you. >> You're very welcome. >> Thank
005you. >> Good evening. My name is Nicole Hobbs and I'm an '05 grad and the mom to two current Mountain Home students. I would like to start off by thanking each and every one of you for volunteer volunteering your time to serve as school board members. It is a very important role in our community and I truly appreciate it. Tonight I would like to talk to you all about our amazing wrestling program. Last season we saw five of our boys and four of our girls meddle at state which I think we can all agree is pretty impressive. These young men and women work hard all year in order to even have a chance at going to state. They are maintaining their GPA, showing up to every practice, going off to offseason camps, volunteering um and
006practicing with our Flyers youth program. I'm very proud of these young men and women and they are very much worth celebrating and bragging about. which is why I would like I would like to invite you all and the community to please come out and tour their current facilities during one of their practices. From exposed concrete both on the walls and the floors, exposed metal on the handrails, no netting around the viewing area to keep them safe to the area being so narrow that yesterday during practice we had two of our varsity wrestlers fly through the door um of the girls locker room. And as you can see by the photo I provided, this isn't um an isolated event. I'd like to highlight that this is just what the boys are having to work around. The
007girls are facing their own set of challenges. Board members, our wrestling program is growing. Our kids are starting out in our local Flyers youth program who currently hold the title of threetime small team champions and are planning on continuing to wrestle through high school. Myself and the rest of the Mountain Home Bomber wrestling family are expecting great things to happen with our programs. We have several Bomber wrestlers who are eyeing state titles this year, as well as Bombers who are looking to wrestle at the collegiate level. We already have a senior receiving athletic offers as well as Bomber alums Vea Bragg who wrestles for Lion College and alum Amelia Frownfed who wrestles for University of St. Mary out there making a name for themselves. We also can't forget Drew Lindseay who not only helped the
008Bombers win the 5A East Conference title which led them or the team later to win the class 5A state runner-ups but he also went on to wrestle for the University of Ozarks. We really couldn't be prouder of our bombers. However, in order for these current and future wrestlers to succeed, they need a safe place to practice. which is why I am again inviting you all in the community to come out tour the wrestling facilities on a Wednesday or Thursday during practice and keep what you see in mind when talking about all future school plans. I hope to see you all in the stands this winter cheering on our amazing bombers. Thank you. >> Thank you, Miss Hobs. Can I get a motion for approval of the agenda? >> Also move. >> Second. >> Okay. Okay,
009I have a motion by Miss Partney, a second by Miss Morgan. Is there any discussion? All in favor? It's unanimous. We'll move to reports. Uh we'll start off with academic report by Miss Judy Lawrence. >> Ready? We're gonna operate off my computer for a second and then we'll switch back to Miss Kelly. So, we're gonna start off our academic report. We have some cute photos here. We're gonna start by recognizing our National Merit semi finalist. So, we have Jack Coleman and Kayen Casper. Kayen Casper is running right now at the cross country meet. He was hoping to be here and he is hoping to still be here. We told him if he can come just come late and we would still have to recognize him. but they are two of approximately 16,000 semi-finalists in the
01071st annual National Merit Scholarship Program. These academically talented high school seniors have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 6,930 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $26 million that will be offered next spring. To be considered for a merit scholarship award, semi- finalists must fulfill several requirements to advance to the finalist level of the competition and about 95% of the semi-finalists are expected to attain finalist standing. Approximately half of the finalists will win a national merit scholarship earning the merit scholar title, which is about as good as you can get. So, I just am excited to get to recognize Jack tonight. I don't know about you. Is there anything you want to say or have any questions you want to ask Chad? He's very good at being on the spot up here because he's
011been to a lot of our board meetings. >> Have anything? >> Yeah, I'd like to know a little bit what it takes to get to this point. >> Um, so you'd have to take the uh the PSAT and you have to score in the top uh each each state has a different requirement level score. So for Arkansas it was about a 220 and I think I got around a 225. So I made it above that. And then um to make to the finalist, you have to have an ACT or SAT score that confirms you got a good PSAT score and that wasn't like a one-off thing. And you have to write a a um an essay and then you'll be considered for the scholarships. >> Did I give you a topic for the essay? >>
012Uh I started filling out the application. I think it's something about challenge you faced and how you've overcome it and grown from it. I'm sure I'm following my college essays and I ask that a lot and so that's one of the one of the good ones. >> Yeah. Well done. >> Thank you. >> Congratulations. >> I think you also have to have some letters from >> I think you do too. >> We've done that application before. >> Thank you guys. >> Congratulations. [Applause] So, that's very exciting to focus tonight on that. And we're going to also recognize our Pinkson Middle School. They've been named an Arkansas Diamond School of Watch if you guys want to come on up. Um, we've been able to celebrate them. Our school board members, I will say, got to go
013in the building and see the teachers. a few days ago and I was gonna let them kind of tell you a little bit about this award and and what it means and let you see a couple of these great teachers up here. So, >> so it's always cool to get to recognize um the staff that always comes to work and puts in the time and effort to do phenomenal things at the school. So, um you guys coming to the building uh last week was a huge deal to our people. um they loved you going door to door uh and they felt very um welcomed and appreciated by you and that was a big deal to them. So um it's nice to get them up here tonight. So, just a few that wanted to come out
014um here. And just for the numbers, like I don't know if people always understand like if you look at the the whole scope of Kingston like last year as a whole, one of 72 schools to be an East program of influence, one of 13 schools to be a school of conservation, one of nine schools to be a diamond school to watch. That is um you can have a three-year current distinction to obtain that. and only one of two schools were awarded that title in 2025 in the entire state of Arkansas. Like that's that's pretty awesome. Um and it's just a small glimpse of of what goes on every day in the building. So um the um and really that's all we wanted tonight was for is just to thank you guys for coming. Uh we
015did get some commemorative pins that I was going to uh that I'd like to give you guys. So um >> thanks I I'll swap that one out for Freddy's. >> So, those are pretty cool. >> Thank you. >> Kelly and Jen and >> what do they say about telling your story, Miss? >> You did. Okay. You did tell your story. >> Um, yeah. What do they say about telling your story? Right. spread it where you can >> tell it for somebody else. >> So anyway, um those are pretty cool and like I say, we're just blessed to have great people um there. Um and there's still a chance for us the the big award comes in uh DC at the at the national conference and so it's pretty cool to see name um at at
016that level as well. >> We haven't set a team or anything like that yet. Um we are represented at the state level. uh we got asked to come to that. Uh we actually have two teams that that got asked to that wrote a proposal to speak at the state conference. So that's pretty cool to see uh Kingston represented at that level as well. Um and then there is an expectation to speak at the national. So we'll see what that looks like as well. So anyway, questions from you guys on anything? Enough of me talking. They can answer. >> Well, I would like to know what the teachers what what y'all do and what you teach and and how this all played into becoming an Arkansas time and watch. >> Um I'm Ashley Smith. I teach
017seventh grade literacy. Um this is my coach >> and um >> well I'm coach Pinka. I' taught at Kingston for 20ome years now. Uh and yeah, this has been a lot this is a great award. We've had a couple through the years. We had a lot of great administrators and and staff over the years and kind of was neat to be able to see them see us, our staff build on what what has been, you know, kind of there before and I think that's a big thing. Um, I was going to kind of speak on the school of conservation thing, so I'll let y'all talk about the diamond thing there if you you need to. But anyway, great place to work, got great staff, welld deserving of that of that for sure. >> I think
018definitely I just came here from Memphis right outside of Memphis, Tennessee. And being a part of this community and this school system, the way the community actually supports the school system, supports the teachers and the kids. For me personally, as a parent, being able to see my boys grow up and be loved on and cared for and they're more than just a number. That means the world to me. Working with the staff at Kingston, going into middle school, not everybody always likes middle school. But it has been the best move for us. It has been truthfully revitalizing for me being able to work with kids and being able to work with such a great staff and a great administration that we know every time that we have anything that they've got our back. So being
019at Kingston really truly is it really is a blessing. And for us to be able to have that time where people can walk in and see what we get to see every day, it's it's a pretty big deal. So that's the the topic that I get to present on at at AMLE is what it felt like to have a site visit. Um, and so it's kind of eye opening to watch um about six educators from all across uh Arkansas come in and I won't say tear your school apart, but they literally look at every facet of middle school education from uh academics to socially uh to how you respond uh to students in need. Like you just lay it all out there. They see your demographic numbers, scores, like the whole gamut of things. Then
020the that they provide is probably the best thing because going through this um yeah the award's nice but if you don't do anything with what um the honest feedback that they provide you then it's just kind of it's not a wash but it's not as not as so >> was there an application process for that and then they selected and then came and visited the schools >> absolutely the writing process is the most daunting thing that I have been a part of undertaking in schools. Um I don't know how many pages it is. Um it's enormous. And so uh you're compiling things like u five years of disciplinary records and they want to know how many suspensions you have by demographic and scores and scores by subopuls. And then um there's a parent port piece
021to it. So they you bring uh parents up then you put them in a room with them by themselves and they drill them and so um now you kind of get to be select like you want to know who's going before them but um that was one thing they just were glowing about our parents. Um there's a a student component to it so they want to actually talk to kids and like see is it legit or are you just word smithing applications cuz middle school kids I mean >> you don't ever know what you're going to get with that. So So anyway, there's that and then then they interview staff. They go right to that and they walk classrooms. So, um, yeah, it's pretty daunting. So maybe that's why there's only two that are crazy
022enough to go through with, I guess. >> Well, walking through your school the other day, I was very impressed uh with the hallways, the cleanliness of your building. Uh, the kids seem to be paying real good attention. I don't know if they had a heads up we were coming by or not, but uh then I got uh slammed in one of the classes by asking question about some kind of mathematical problem. I missed it. But anyway, uh >> you did get a cinnamon roll though. >> I got a cinnamon roll. I got a reward. But uh but the discipline was you could see that the kids were under control, not running up and down the hallways and uh I really appreciate the work you're doing. >> I hear I hear lots of good things about
023you. >> Like we we presented those same pins that you got to our custodial staff because they're and our cafeteria staff because they're every bit as much of >> this as as anyone else is. So, it's cool to watch it come kind of full circle. >> Yeah. >> So, >> thank you very much. >> Yeah. >> Well, Mr. Well, >> Mr. Smith, I've been continually impressed with with you and your staff and the work that they've done at Kingston, right? Um, every time I look around, I'm hearing something good about Kingston. So, I know we notice, but the community notices as well, too. So, I've heard good stuff. So, um, you know, it's results that matter. It's not so much the words, it's the results. And y'all have continually produced the results. So, well done
024and thank y'all. >> Good. [Applause] >> Yeah. Come on, Mr. Pinker. >> Yeah. >> Well, another thing that that we were awarded this last year was the Arkansas Game of Fish School of Conservation Award. Uh we had just to go back a little bit you know four years we're on year five of our outdoor adventure program that's been a real success and and this last year Governor Sanders talked about the department of education want to teach outdoor recreation outdoor adventures as a uh as a elective class at some point and uh fortunate to be on the Arkansas game and fish teacher leader council and we're working on trying to get standards for that uh to try teach that through throughout the state of Arkansas. Uh, fortunately for us, Kingston's way ahead of the curve and
025we've kind of, you know, when we started this four four years ago, you were we're able to establish this program. So, the game and fish wanted to put out a challenge, if you will, to to to schools to meet to attain this school of conservation uh award. And there's like 10 11 different criteria teaching hunter education, boer education, uh a lot of different stuff, art and and stuff that that is conservation minded. And so we we jumped right in there with two feet and then got after it and uh we had, you know, our ease group worked on GIS project. Our art teacher, Miss Libby Posie, did a wonderful job. If you ever drive on 13th Street kindergarten, you see the drains, storm drains. Uh we worked with our friends of the of the river,
026uh donated the materials for that and our kids got to get out there and and do come up with a concept that they wanted to come up with and put it on the on the drains to bring some awareness to downstream pollution. So it was it was a neat deal. So anyway, we were one of 13 schools in the state of Arkansas that were given that award and so that was that was pretty neat. Um this year, uh the Arkansas Game of Fish is putting together what they call a generational summit, which basically is a statewide competition for conservation, uh you know, events, whether it be wildlife identification, um plant identification, uh you know, things GIS, you know, building and mapping and really a neat deal is going to happen. So, we're kind of looking
027forward to that. We've got some kids signed up going to compete for that. our our quiz bowl competed yesterday. Was it yesterday? >> Yesterday in in the regional competition there and so it's it's evolving and stuff. So we're we're excited. Our kids are excited about conservation and they love the outdoor adventure program and then we're doing that. Uh we also we don't have all the working on we have another project that's going to be uh starting this fall and we're going to uh try to have some mentor hunt uh hunts for some of our our kids in our program and we've been working Miss Dwey and and Heather Hatman uh about we we purchased a freezer and we're going to have meat shop is going to be working with us to catch some ground deer
028and stuff. We're going to process that for our families in need and that's through the Arkansas Hunters Feeding Hungry program. So, there's a lot of things going on at Kingston this fall and it's all it's all good and it's all, you know, buys into just another uh kind of the depth that that you know that we have and and teaching and kids can be involved in and a lot of different things. So, but anyway, it was a great honor to be a part of that and and we have great support, our administrators uh support have done it for four or five years and So that's that's a good good program and uh it looks like one that's going to be spreading throughout Arkansas, you know, pretty good, but we're way ahead current. >> Fantastic. >>
029Yes. Yeah. There was we had a um a fundraiser in in the spring uh there at ASU Mountain Home and they raised like $12,000 for the for the program. U and so it was a you know considerable amount. We didn't realize it was going to be that much but we know but it it it is but they they have a the Arkansas Hunter Feed and Hungry have a program where they provide snack sticks for schools in need for backpack programs and things like that. So they'll take and process those and and our kids are we've got two or three schools that are going to be involved in that. So the kids are going to be getting meat meat sticks in their in their backpack program. So it's It's a it's it's a neat deal. >>
030It's fantastic. Everything y'all do is everything we all do is for the children. It's for our students here. >> And boy, our middle school students are so fortunate. Like I want to go back to middle school, right? Like it sounds fantastic. >> There's only person that ever say >> just for a little while. >> Waiting line. waiting class to get waiting list. >> Thank you. >> I did forget to make one announcement that Miss Hughes, our um gifted and talented coordinator, wanted me to add along to the national merit piece. They are offering a PSAT test prep session free of charge at the high school on October the 4th. And we have Mr. Mr. Engel, Mury will be leading that uh training session. So, that was another exciting piece to share that we're trying to
031help our students with that. So, my final part of the night, we have a video for you prepared. We're going to just do a little glance at our PLC process in the district and we have ready to go. >> Hi, I'm Judy Lawrence. I'm the assistant superintendent of Mountain Public Schools. I'm honored today to show you a behind-the-scenes look at what our educators are doing weekly to ensure student success. Teachers in each content area and grade level are part of collaborative teams, which we call CTS. Our CTS meet together weekly to monitor student progress within grade level standards as part of a professional learning community, also known as a PLC. A PLC is an ongoing process in which educators work collaboratively in recurring cycles of collective inquiry and action research to achieve better results for
032the students they serve. Our PLC's evaluate four critical questions. What essential knowledge should students know and be able to do? How will we know when each student has learned the essential knowledge? How will we respond if students don't learn the essential knowledge? how extend learning for students who are already proficient with the essential knowledge. PLC's look different in each building, but today I'm going to share a bit about how the teachers at Hackler Intermediate School utilize their collaborative time together. Okay. Greetings from Hackler Intermediate School. I am Kristen Goodwin. I'm the building principal here at Hackler. And currently we are in room 202 which is where we hold all of our PLC meetings and CT meetings uh throughout the week with CT teams. One thing that we always remember and talk about when we are
033meeting in CT groups is that it's a work in progress and this room is a work in progress as well. But we have tried to make it a space where when we meet we can get all of the instructional work done that we need to do and have resources at our fingertip tips to guide our work. So one of the things that we've added this year is um we have our reading success plans and that's to help us guide the growth of students and let us know how we're progressing. Uh we also we have that for fourth grade, fifth grade and third grade. We also have our group norms and this is just how we do business within our meetings and within our with our teams. Um and it's norms that we have all agreed
034to and that we adhere to. We also have um our vertical standards for literacy and we have those posted for kindergarten through fifth grade and that lets us know what what kindergarten, first and second grade is working on. It also allows us to know what we're working on within the building and just to see that progression. The state department put out a great tool for us last year and that is our at a glance atlas targets. We have those posted as well as a quick resource that we can look at to again help guide our work. We also have a school a complete calendar of the school year so that we know if we're going to be missing days or if we're going to be out just to help with all of those instructional plans.
035Um so you may have heard about CT groups or students based report cards or all of the things happening within the district. Uh so this just gives you a little bit more of a view of what that work actually looks like and uh the instructional planning that is going on for all our students across the district. Reading at Hackler this year is a all hands- on deck approach. And so you might be thinking, do special teachers, our librarian or music teachers, computer lab teachers? They absolutely play an active role in everything that we do from building helping us build data walls to implementing AR plans. Um we have a huge accelerated reader push this year that we are so thankful for. Uh that has happened a huge thanks to our librarian, Mrs. Thompson and we're
036so excited about reading taking off at Hackler this year. So, huge shout out to our special teachers because we could not do this work without them. Thanks to Mrs. Goodwin for sharing the difficult but important work your teachers are doing to support their students. When you look at the work being done in these meetings, it is clear to see that our educators are professional practitioners who have made a thoughtful commitment to seeing their students grow. This is not easy work, but it is rewarding for both students and teachers, and I can't say enough how much I appreciate everyone involved. Our teachers are second to none, and their commitment to the PLC process is evidence that they are committed to providing an excellent education to every student every time. >> That's pretty cool. >> Thank you.
037Miss Goodwin's here. Thank you. She was our help her with that. And I got to brag on her because like she did that first take. She she did that mine take a few if I thought I knew I was have to do videos before I show. Anyway, so I do want to share one thing. I know we're about to wrap up, but I'm going to be sharing to your emails um what we call our district dashboard. Um, and what you're going to see, um, when I share this with you is every building has a tab, and this is just, um, a place where we're organizing some of the work. Um, you'll be able to see agendas for our collaborative teams. You'll see essential standards and learning targets. We do have data walls on these. We
038have those restricted because that is a lot of student information. If there's something you need to know, you can always reach out to Miss Stewie or myself, but everything else should be um, open. You may run in. We're trying really hard to have links. Every link share will >> you find one. >> Um, but you may find one if you come across just request access, but the data walls are the ones that we um we have restricted. Um, but you'll see every building has their kind of their plan of action on here. And you can see when you click on the agendas, you'll see a lot of information about the meetings they're having. This lets our administrators kind of see at a glance the work that's going on. Miss Stewie and I are able to
039see um if we're not able to attend the meetings, which obviously we every meeting because I'm going to show you our master schedule. I have this for you as well. Um, but this lets us um keep up with things and we are able to go in and out as much as possible. So, every building has their tab. You'll be able to see that. Here's Sorry, wrong thing. Pinkston has theirs. Looks theirs is nice and concise there, but junior high and high school and Gary and I do I was excited the guy pictures and the slideshow are really amazing. They're doing a lot of of really great work. They're looking at every student's individual data together as a team. So, Mr. Rose is here. They're doing some really great things there within their collaborative teams as
040well. So, the last thing I'll share with you, I do have a master PLC schedule. What's really neat about this, and I'll click on this on the on the screen, is you can just see um how many different meetings are happening and every Um these are happening weekly. So you can see um by the day of the week which teams are meeting. Our administrative team meets every other Tuesday for an hour. We call that our instructional leader CT. And our media specialists are meeting monthly. Um they have an afternoon a month that they're getting together to collaborate as well. Um we're trying to just include as much as we can. So, do you have any questions or comments? I will share a digital copy of this with you as well, but I did just want
041you to have the paper version. >> Any questions? >> Questions? >> Thank you, Miss Lawrence. >> Fantastic. >> Next, we'll move to financial reports. Miss Donna Harper. [Music] And the first report is the statement of changes in the balance and we ended the month of August at 14,228,292.38. And um that is a little down from last year um but we did a little digging to figure out why. And one of the reasons is our flood control um revenue. Last year we got it in August. This year we um have received it in September. So that's part of that. That's 125,000 of that 200 that were down. So does anybody have any questions that page? If you'll look at 20 fund 2218 are declining enrollment. Um that's in the negative and that will be in the
042negative until we receive um the money that um that is a portion of the bus the used bus that y'all approve. >> So that check we've already cut that check so that they're ready to roll. That's that's a portion of that. >> Okay. On to the next page. This is a statement of revenues and expenditures. Our total revenues for the month of August was 3,214,3723 [Music] and our total expenditures were $3,497,16582. Um, our revenues were a little down from from August of 24, but our expenditures were a little up. So, and that's just kind of timing probably things they'll fluctuate like that. Any questions on that? Our [Music] monthly operating fund balance for the month of August is 8,75,841. And as you can see, that's down about $198,000 from last year. Again, >> part of
043that's that flood part of that >> the same as before on the other page. Any questions on that one? Then we've got the statement of changes in the activity funds and we ended the month of August at $523,98344 and that's very close to where we ended last year. Questions there? And then the documents after that are the supporting documents that we include the statement of changes and fund balances and the check register for the month box. >> Any questions for Miss Harper? >> Thank you, Miss Harper. >> And next uh we'll go to enrollment report for Miss Dwey. So, our current our enrollment as of when this was printed is 3,662 students. So, it is down as expected. There were no no surprises to us, but that, you know, love to have a few more
044kids, but but that's that's where we are. I did have an opportunity on this topic. I did have an opportunity yesterday to attend a meeting with the superintendent throughout our co-op area of all the superintendent there. I believe there were 12 to 13 all but two have declining enrollment. Some when you're looking at schools like Midland and they've lost 40 kids >> that's 20%. So we'll be watching closely. We're still okay but we we will be watching. I have been looking at home school numbers. They're not up. They're right about where we were last year. Actually a little down about 30 down from where we were last year. Now, that'll increase throughout the school year, but um >> I read a report that kindergarten numbers nationally >> are down. >> Also, and they said birth
045rates overall >> way down. So, this is some of this is to be expected. Some is, you know, due to some changes in funding as far as our opportunities, but I'm not sure it's affecting us as much as just students not in the area to start kindergarten. And you'll notice it's Interesting. I think Mr. Booth, you and I talked about watching the numbers. You'll watch from last year to the as they transfer to the next grade level. You'll see where the decline is. You know, we always start gaining in that sixth to seventh grade range, even with low classes, class sizes, just due to opportunities. >> So, families that are homeschooling might choose to to come and and do band or come and enroll in some athletic opportunities. And our homeschool students do do that.
046That's those dual enrolled that you see listed on the >> just as you said when you look from hey what was grade two last year to grade three this year in those early grades you often see increases seems like the biggest drop is almost in high school so are we when we have an 11th grader who is not with us for a senior year the next year do we have an understanding of why >> I'm glad you asked me that question those are also early grads >> okay >> so we had 20 plus early grads last year So if a student graduates on 11 as an 11th grader, they would not go on a course as 12th grader. So some of that can be explained that way. >> That's good for those students. >> But
047thank you for asking that. That's a good good question. >> That's a good bad scenario. >> It is, but they do count towards our graduation rate. >> That's a positive. You know, we do not get the funding for their last year, but they're graduated and that's that's the most important. best for a student. >> What's best for the student? That's exactly right. >> Questions? Okay. Student transfer update from Stewie. >> So, if you remember, we have not met for six weeks and we our first meeting was about a week and a half before school started. >> So, the numbers I'm giving you were all actually I think all but one were before school started and it was nine out and four in, but that was all prior to school starting. So, we really haven't had
048a lot of action with transfers over the past few weeks at all. >> Okay. Uh, next we'll do the facilities report. Mr. Chris Knight, >> I wanted to update you all on where we're at with the guy roof. Um, attached some photos there so you guys can see. They're on the second page. Uh, we did a flew a drone over so you can see how how far they've come. They're really pretty much uh they're very close to it almost I think 80% is done and they are up there working very hard um today and tomorrow um they're actually trying to tell me that they're going to be done in a couple weeks when you talk to the architect he is the one saying let's be safe at say the end of October that you know
049everything have to go perfect you're going to get the next couple weeks with weather and all materials and stuff so um but that's one of the reasons that takes so long and and the architect prices cost as much as they did as if you look at that compared to like the junior high. You'd have like three different roofs there. You have your metal, your shingle, and your TPU laid over top of the of the shingles. In fact, they put the wrong color shingles on the first time and had to rip them off. >> Just certain places, right? >> We got it mixed. They got they mixed. Got >> a little mixed little mistake. >> Even with that, they're they're doing pretty well. Are they on budget? >> They're not allowed to be off budget. >>
050Okay. >> We paid We already paid >> other than when we did a change form for the uh >> plywood 19,000. I think >> it was under >> which uh the state will pay half of >> any questions? >> It looks really nice. >> It does look really good. >> Sounds like a company we might use again. >> I think that's one of the reasons they severely underdid it. And then we had a couple things that were a little bit of a rough start which I don't think was anything but bad luck. Um but so far >> it looks good fantastic. They're working super hard and >> um we'll see how it does when it rains. >> Fingers crossed the rain. >> We need the rain but the rain holding off was really helped. It
051sounds like >> nice. [Music] Okay. All right. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Knight. >> Next, safety and security report by Mr. Eddie Helmer. >> How's everyone tonight? >> Good evening, sir. >> Fantastic. >> So, I just wanted to give you a a quick report on safety and security. And first of all, I want to say this has been a great start of the year. Uh I don't know if y'all remember last year, my first year and it was pretty rough start. >> This has been awesome start to the year. And I just want to give a little shout out to our administrators in each one of our buildings that uh they do take the safety of our kids very very serious as far as walking the halls, making sure interior doors are shut, uh
052making sure that there's no prop doors on the exterior as well. I have walked every building uh at certain times uh just walking around the buildings and I have yet to see a prop door. Uh so that's a uh a shout out to not only the administrators but our school resource officers that are in those buildings every day as well. So uh all right, we'll just go to security film here. Uh as you know that we had a project that started last year, probably the end of last year, kind of went into the summer uh where we did a laminate a security laminate in the foyers of our buildings. And what we did and I, you know, I really wanted to kind of upgrade the how the exterior doors look to our buildings. So, if
053you have you've been there, you you know how and I will tell you this, I didn't know there was a certain bomber blue. >> There is. >> And uh so Jennifer really helped me with that. Uh cuz this project started and they started putting it on and I got a phone call says, "You got to come down here and look at this." Well, it wasn't bomber blue. It was like LSU purple. And I said, "You got to take that off. We can't do that." Reason. So, y'all have y'all have copies of that and uh I think I've had a lot of compliments on it. It looks great. >> You want to just go through >> not only does it upgrade the look of the building, but it also provides a security purpose as well. >>
054Uh you know where we can lock down, it can't be broken out. >> Uh you can't see in but you can see out. >> Uh so it does provide that uh layer of protection. So, I thought it looked really good and I'm really proud of how that turned out. So, thanks to Jennifer for She kind of said into in some meetings and like, "No, that's not it. No, that's not it." My goodness, >> they returned me to the and Mr. Helmer, this was through our state security grant. >> Yes, this was through the state grant uh that funded this project. So, u anyway, on to the next one. Y'all y'all can look at those. So, uh, early this year, at the beginning of the year, I I came to Allison. I said, "Allison, I've got
055a 3/4 ton truck, and is there something else I can drive?" And so, last year, Steve let me drive a tech vehicle, but he said, "Hey, I need that back." >> I'm like, "Oh man, I can't even afford the gas to put in this thing, you know, driving everywhere." So, she did check around and she said, "We just don't have any." I said, "Well, do you mind if I can go someone to donate and she blessed that. So, uh, and we are very fortunate to live in a community where we have individuals that care about our kids and our students and Clay Maxi, uh, donated a car for safety and security. >> Wow. >> Uh, so I'm pleased to announce that and what I'm going to do with it, I've got a project going with
056Kingston uh, art class. They are going to design a wrap for it. So that's a something to get the kids involved. That's one thing he asked. He said, "I want the kids involved to design that wrap." So that's uh that's what's going to happen. So uh right now, you know, part of the thing was like, you know, I know it's a safety and security card, but Mitch took it to Rala this afternoon, so it can be used for that as well. So anyway, any questions on on that? So, one other thing I want to mention is that we have started our lockdown drills, districtwide lockdown drills. We've done a couple of campuses so far and uh they they've gone really well. So, I just wanted to mention that real quick. Y'all have any questions? >>
057Do we have a K9 still? >> Yes, >> we do have a K9 uh that's at Guyberry with Officer Campfield. >> Okay. And uh but I've heard that probably one more year and they're going to retire that K9 and the PD is not going to fund that anymore. So we might have to look at something different. But anyway, >> if we were to ever need that service, would we just use the police department after? >> Yeah, but the the only thing different that retired >> a school canine is uh they do marijuana. >> Okay. uh the street the PDS they don't do that so because you know it's medical purposes you know if you learn on the cars like you know so that's the only difference there so we're we're trying I think they're fighting
058for it >> good >> I think the SRO's are fighting for that so because that was about I don't know 15 years ago when I started that program and I'd hate to see it go as well >> if there are grants additional grants I think you got a car donated for that too, didn't you? Or for Bomber. >> I got everything donated for Bomber. Not not a car, but I got I got everything donated because >> the PD wasn't going to do it. He said, "If you want to do it, you got to raise the money." So, I went out and did that. >> Yeah. To start that K9 program at the school. >> How much does a K9 cost? >> Uh, it's about 8 to 9,000. >> And that includes fully trained. >> Fully
059trained. Yes. >> It's not crazy expensive. >> And it's not crazy. >> No. And there might be someone in the community that might want to step up. >> So, uh, >> now, prior to that program, didn't didn't they just outsource it through the PD? >> Yeah. >> To the schools, right? >> Yeah. >> So, that's a onetime cost every >> It's a onetime cost and the PD covers the the uh the vet and the food. >> 10 years. How how much how much service do you get? >> You get eight to 10 years. >> Yeah. To work a dog. retired at Eddie's house. >> Yeah, Bomber is about 16 years old and we went for a walk last night and me and her both were limping when we got here. >> So 8 to9,000 over
0608 to 10 years. That's less than a thousand a year. Um you know eight or $900 a year for a dog. >> And and the thing is they you know the dog is used a lot. >> Yeah. That's a tremendous deal. So, and it's just another, you know, another thing that we can use to keep our kids safe and keep our keep what we don't want in our buildings. >> Sure. Well, Mr. Helmet, you you've done a lot of projects here in a short amount of time from security film and door locks, um, weapons detection systems. Do we do we have anything uh coming up that you'd like to share with us or not? Well, the one thing that I am that that we are doing is I know we talked we talked and uh
061is gating off the back parking lot of the high school where uh that is the only school that you can anyone off the street can drive around our campus and uh so we're looking at ways that we can do that as well but that's a project I know that we have the material for one gate I've talked to Chris about that and I think that's in the works to put up one gate right now. Then we'll have to look at the other gate and how we want to work that. >> Okay. >> What's that road you use for during the day? >> Well, so during the day it's used for our buses parked back there. Maintenance is uses all uses it. Technology uses it. Uh some teachers park back there, but uh you know we
062have caught people that drive back through there. we have stopped people uh to take a shortcut to want to go somewhere. So, we just don't really want anyone to on our campuses that it's not supposed to be on our campus. And I know the high school is just a totally different animal when you talking about security and keeping, you know, people out that that just don't want to be driving up and just, you know, show up. >> We have we're waiting on cops grant. Fingers are still crossed that build that out this out this summer. >> Yeah. Yeah. And when is that when are we supposed to hear about that? In October. So, we did apply for a cops grant. Man, I hope we get it. >> So, what we're going to do with that,
063another project is is replacing our radio system within our district uh where we can communicate districtwide from here to Nelson Wils. That's putting a repeater up and where we can communicate if if something needs to be. >> Fingers crossed. It's a It's a pretty large grant. >> Yeah. So, I had I had a company come out and we tested it. He put up a repeater and I went to every school and uh it worked perfect and I'm hoping we get that because that's something we really need. >> Sure. >> So, what's the cost of that? What was that? >> It was high >> like 150 plus. >> Yeah. Uh you know, but we can but it was I wanted I wanted a lot of radios, >> you I want uh a lot of things with
064that. So, I kind of went high. I mean, we can always lower it, but I kind of started at the top. So, I hope we get that cops grant. So, >> and the other, you know, that could be used for our crisis team. Uh, you know, one thing I'm doing with our crisis team that I'm changing, we used to meet up here like 7 o'clock in the morning and like it's not being really productive. So, I'm going to each building and uh we're going to do a tabletop exercise with each crisis team in their building. And that tabletop is I'll give them a scenario and then we'll talk through that scenario. What how do we respond? And so I was telling Allison that she said why can't we do that here at central office? And
065so we're going to do that here at central office. What would be our responsibilities as a staff here at the central office? So >> the radios that you're talking about doing will will the local police be able to listen into those or just private? >> No. So the what police have is a win and we cannot we can't do that with with those radios. Now it can be uh with our buses we can put that on there where they can talk with the buses as well. But you know mainly this is a thing where in case of an emergency in case of something happens it is immediately not trying to get on your phone and text somebody or someone's behind hackler that can't communicate to the office because >> it's it's not getting through hoping
066that we get these radios. >> Anything else? >> Thank you Mr. Helman. >> Yeah. Thank you guys. >> And thank you to Clay Maxi for that vehicle. Yeah, we'll be doing once it gets wrapped and everything gets done, we'll be doing a press release on that and thanking Clay Maxi. Uh he is one one individual that does a lot for our district, a lot for our community. >> Yes, sir. >> Yeah. Thank you. >> Fantastic. >> Okay, let's move to board action items. We have one item on the agenda tonight and that's a request to approve a budget agend budget adjustment of Miss Donna Harper. We brought the um original budget for approval on August the 7th and that was a little early for us um because we don't close out the year. The final
067close is not until the end of August. So um what we're asking you to approve here is our final cycle 9 report that was um sent to into the state on cycle 9. That's the close out of last year. And then after we do that, then we go back in and rework our numbers for the budget for this year. And so all of the highlighted green are all the numbers that we had to change or adjust just a little bit. And then if you'll go to the second page of that, there's a couple of numbers in purple and those were just updated today. Um we had some changes in um some a couple of our federal funds that we got notice on. So we changed those. [Music] But these are just adjustments due to we
068repulled the salary numbers after we ran the September 10th payroll and we rework our numbers and that's what this is the result of is reworking those numbers. And just to let y'all know, you know, we were hoping to come in, you know, a little better on our bottom line. Um, but one of the things that we weren't anticipating um when we originally did the budget is the state increased our um contribution for the health insurance >> $30 more than what we originally thought. So $30 a month times, you know, 12 months times about 400 people >> plus the 80 that we already knew was going to happen. That's 110 per person per month. So that that took a large >> Did that cover the rate increases? >> That covered the rate increase for this year.
069Um and it's my understanding that they have rose the premiums for our staff for this year and next year. So, um, if there is a rate increase next year, it may be on us again. >> We're hopeful that the state will take that increase. That's what we've been told. They will take that 110 per employee per month. They're going to take that back July after July 1 supposedly. And then our um first student foundation funding goes down. 100 plus dollars. So >> that's the first time we've ever decreased that. >> We've never seen a decrease in per student funding, but >> Blue Cross has gone to the insurance board eight times for rate increases and being denied eight times. >> So I did talk to Jason Nazareno. He was pretty frustrated about a lot of
070things with insurance yesterday. Um not just the health insurance, but the property insurance. So he said he was he promised he was staying on top of it and had made had made some contacts and you know one can't change change it all but there's there's some voices in Little Rock that are are really trying to help us. >> So we're asking that you approve the attached cycle 9 AFR and the budget adjustments for this year 26. >> I make a motion we approve the budget adjustments as presented. I'll second. >> I have a motion by Miss Morgan, a second by Mr. Butler. Is there any discussion? Miss Harper, without looking back at the previous ones, do you remember off the top of your head, is this a net increase or a net decrease to to
071the budget? Um, and I didn't go pull >> the original one. >> It is um >> a decrease. >> It's a slight decrease. >> Yeah, just barely. >> I had 30. My my numbers are it's about 30,000 less than what you all saw >> the last time and we will just keep chipping away. >> Okay. >> We will be watching numbers >> as close as we >> will just we're watching everything. >> Okay. Any other discussion? Okay. All in favor? That's unanimous. This point we'll move to board discussion. You know, we've heard a lot presented and fabulous things on the academic side. I'm not gonna I'm not not going to lie. And I feel like everyone in this around this table is a little distressed at the wrestling team's report and I'm going to say
072this once again. We have a high school facility that cannot support positive student outcomes. And the only help only place that can help us is the community. And I want to say it again, we there was a with the aviation program, our high school building can't support that program on the high school campus. This is in two board meetings in a row. We have been presented issues that our high school facility cannot support positive student outcomes. And that's why we're here. >> Where does the wrestling team practice? >> The girls and the boys are upstairs on the landing at the gym. >> Oh, okay. >> You know, I was talking to Miss Hobbs today about and I don't even know I think told you some things maybe you didn't even realize. We our teams go
073off campus to practice a lot of the times. There's just not room. Even our high school boys and girls basketball teams have are going to the junior high because right now it's volleyball. is off. Chair is off. You know, softball, baseball, that makes sense for them not to be. But wrestling could go to Guy Berry. But the second they do that, they're taking a spot for the the Flyers, the the little guys practice facility, and you have to roll mats out and and I didn't realize when you're rolling mats up and down, they're that can tear them up. >> So, you know, they've Right now, we my goal would be to help make that spot as safe as possible. And I am meeting with Miss Hobs on day Tuesday. >> Tuesday with Mr. Husky. We're
074meeting up there to just look at some things and just see if there's anything we can do just to get us by >> as a teacher in the 2020 20 through 2022 and prior to that I experienced with my high school and junior high GT students for GT seminar at junior high we had to meet in the library I mean we really don't have class enough classroom um high school I would share a room one time I was in this proper or seaman's room like um our our GT students for their seminar and meetings large enough that I can could assemble them all ESOL I have been the last couple of years doing ESOL testing and some buildings have space available other buildings, we really have to plan and try to find uh well, we
075would just displace a teacher >> so that I could use their room to test students. I've personally experienced it. So, I I agree like we do need a new facility, additional space. >> Remember one year They actually had a some type of class in the lobby of Jim. >> You know, space. >> We had to do testing in lobbies and >> bar lobby and testing. >> Yeah. AP testing. >> I mean, I'm I'm proud we're able to be creative >> and fun. >> We are. But it it also but that's >> teachers and administrators are problem solvers but >> creative you have to be with the current situation. >> I think the the issue that that keeps coming to play education is not the same as it was 30 years ago. I mean it's not
076the same when Mr. Butler was in high school and I refer back to that because his ch he's the same age as my children. And it for sure isn't the same as when I was in school. And we can't live the dream of I wish it was like it was >> because it's out of the box. You have technology. You've got different career choices. Um, I mean I I still when I think we've got this aviation program and every time you turn on the news where there's lack of controllers, there's there's lack of pilots, there's lack of we've got to face the future and we have to live. We have to put programs out there for our students. We want them to stay here, but bottom line, we want them to be able to get
077a job somewhere that they can make a living to support their families. So, we we've really got to as a community get down to the nuts and b what is what do we want? What do we want to provide for our students? And I guess the thing that you look back and reflect on is what was provided for each of us. And no one hesitated to provide me a good education in Little Rock. No one hesitated. I I think Mountain Home can rally. I think we can provide for our children. >> This just underscores the problem and we we know it whether it's Rexling or other extracurriculars or ROC that doesn't have the space that they need. And when you go to the the scholarship award ceremony this spring and you see the really big
078numbers most of those come out of the ROC scholarships that from our students. So um the problem we're well aware of the problem but this definitely underscores it. It also you know highlights the importance on on us getting this right going forward right it's multifaceted we've already said hey this is the basic footprint this is the basic plan but then how are we going to fund it? how are we going to community engage um the whole process on moving this forward from from right here from the beginning. It's it's it's very important. The needs real. >> Unfortunately, these same issues these are some of the same issues we had the last time we had the election got defeated. You know, if that passed, we'd be almost in that bill. He'd been the first >> and
079but he did it. >> So we got chance. >> I do like the design what we came up with better than the other design. Don't end up costing the same amount of money. >> But I agree. I think you know I mean these are some of the same problems we've faced for the last 20 years too. >> Sure. >> You know that haven't changed. I mean you know I remember our team used to practice up with that same >> that's what I was >> you know I mean I remember us trying to have basketball practice and then the baseball team trying to have hitting practice because they didn't have the facilities you know and so you know I think we're in a situation where we are displacing a lot of students and to to Molly's
080point I think getting the you know the community to understand the you know the struggle that that is on our educators on our coaches on our administrators um giving them the knowledge of that would would you know and how we do that and how we present that is very important because I think we have a community that if they are given that knowledge and understanding of that will step up and support our students and our athletes and our administrators and teachers but um it is a problem that faces us and and u hopefully we can get it solved because I know those kids take pride in what they do and I think it is very important to um to try to address this for every student that we have and and so that is our
081goal and I think part of that is is expressing that to the community and allowing them to see some of the struggles that you guys face and putting them in those positions as if hey if they were the teacher if they were the coach or if they were the athlete what would they do and so I think that education you know falls on us and then umbrellas down from there >> and um I think that's a goal we all share and hopefully we can get that accomplished >> I think too many people in the public look at this as an athletic thing >> absolutely it's it's bigger than that >> yeah it's bigger than that it's an issue >> where are we going to put these students and they say we're losing students Yeah, we're
082losing we've lost students, but we've not lost we've not gained space. >> Well, we don't I mean I spoke about classroom space also labs, Miss Ross >> in the floor with a microscope on a chair. We we've got to do better. I I did prefer the space that was added in the first building schematic because I I feel like it's a safety issue. If we can have as many of our extracurriculars on the main campus site with more eyeballs of certified personnel, that was a big safety issue for me. Any other discussion? Okay, let's go to superintendent update. M. >> So, tonight most of you know that this is this is kind of fun. Tonight alone there is not only the board meeting but we have kindergarten open house, junior high football at the stadium,
083cross country meet in Mountainome, 7th through 12th grade volleyball games in town, tennis matches in town, and our high school football team is in Raleigh. So that's just tonight. I'm going to give a shout out to Mr. Husky. he's not here, but he's done a fantastic job organizing the administrators and the medical to make sure there is somebody at every single event. So, shout out to him. He said he's been working on it for a couple of weeks and I'm sure he has been. Um, I did have the opportunity today to attend a presentation along with Mr. Smith and Miss Goodwin at ASU Mountain Home at the shed. our fifth and sixth graders and middle schoolers. I think from Flipping and Carter. Was it just Cotter? Cotter >> North. >> Okay. Mount Christian Academy. Fun,
084upbeat presentation encouraged students to make good choices, stay drug-free. Um kind of was built on that drugs are an illusion of making things feel good and be good and that's just a crutch. PACE Coalition in Baxter County. Some of you all have heard about that group. It's prevention and awareness and they had received some significant grants. Junal services is part of that as well and our own seed club and that's students educating against drugs and they're a group of high school students and those high school kids were there encouraging and being role models for our younger kids today. It was fantastic. Um really proud that we were able to do that and I'm sure their afternoons, man, they had them pumped up. So, I'm sure it was a little exciting at the buildings because those
085kids were drumming and magic tricking and it was they were pumped up. I told you about going to Melbourne. Tomorrow morning, however, we will host chamber leadership group here. Tomorrow is their education day. So, they'll be here at the building. I'll do an overview. I think most of you have seen my my show that I've been using that I was able to start at the chambers big education breakfast be the same powerpoint information I'll share with them then they're actually going to go they wanted to see the big top infamous big top area so Mr. Knight as in Chris Knight will meet us up there and give them a tour of that area and kind of show them what things look like in that building. Then we're going to head over to Gyberry where they
086requested to visit. Mr. Rose puts on a good visit over there and shows folks what alternative education can and does look like in our area. Um just a few dates. September 29th will be a special board meeting where we're going to focus on academics. And I'm actually very excited about that because we've had a lot of work sessions on facilities. But as I have said several times and most people have heard me say, academics is the cornerstone of what we're doing. it is while we're here and that will be the focus of that work session. We'll talk about school letter grades which I believe will be coming out tomorrow. So, we'll be excited to show those and see those throughout the state tomorrow as far as their school report cards. Um October 6 lunch meeting
087at Nelson Wils Heron. That'll be a lot of fun. That's our kickoff also to homecoming week. I know that Miss Morgan with her position as education foundation director has a big event on Thursday night with the night of honors >> ball game on Friday parade on Wednesday and then on Saturday will be the athletic call of honor that week is packed and it always is and it's a lot of fun. Um and then on the 14th our regular board meeting so that one remember it is on Tuesday and I appreciate y'all making that allowance. I have decided not to that week just with um conferences and just things how they are. I think I'm going to stay here, but um we'll go ahead and have that meeting on the 14th since it has been published.
088>> So, I appreciate y'all being flexible with that, but we'll go ahead and have something on Thursday with the annual report to public at five o'clock in Dunar. Um and we may try to live stream that because I know a lot of folks can't always attend. Miss Lawrence looks really excited about the live stream. Um, but that is also parent teacher conference night and so it it kind of fits but kind of doesn't. We'll go ahead and get that date out soon. So if people want to come, they won't schedule their conference around that time >> for their student. >> I'm out of breath. >> Is that an official meeting for us as well? >> It is not. >> No, ma'am. >> It used to be >> We have done it during the board meeting.
089The past couple years we've been doing it. We've done it at a PTO meeting. Okay. >> We've done it in Dunar. Last year we did it in Dunar. the year before. I can't remember where we had it. Um, but >> the guidelines on that >> the guidelines are not it's it's more of a overview. There aren't even really specific things you have to include in the report to public because if you look at our website, it's all there. you know, they have definitely up the requirements on the website and so everything has already been reported that we're going to show folks again because we need we're supposed to and we will. >> Okay. >> Sorry, that was a lot. >> Thank you, Miss Dwey. Um, thank you all all for being here this evening, both
090in person and on online. We really appreciate it. Um, at this time, we will move into executive session for personnel uh resignations, retirements, and transfers.